Category: Articles

The Constitution Committee chaired by MK Simcha Rothman on Monday held a tense initial hearing on a bill proposing an 80% tax on donations to NGOs from foreign political entities and a ban on court access for NGOs that lack the right of standing and receive the majority of their funding from such sources.

The bill’s explanatory notes state: “The purpose of this bill is to reduce the indirect influence of foreign governments and political entities on the State of Israel. This influence is reflected, among other things, in direct financial support for NGOs in Israel that act as agents of change on behalf of these entities. Such a phenomenon exceeds the bounds of the democratic framework and undermines the sovereignty and independence of the state where it occurs.”

During the discussion, Chairman Rothman stated, “In times of war, foreign countries inject massive sums into Israeli society to steer the state toward surrender or to promote the rights of terrorists. This must be stopped. We must ensure that Israeli citizens preserve their freedom of expression and are not drowned out by a megaphone funded by a foreign government.”

Source:
Rothman Weighs 80% Tax on $360 Million in Foreign Donations to NGOs, by David Israel/Jewish Press, May 6, 2025

Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the Makor Rishon and Ofra community Settlement Conference held in honor of the community’s 50th anniversary.

“Every time anew during my many visits across Israel, and certainly in Judea and Samaria, and certainly when I fly over the country in helicopters, I understand even more that the settlement movement is an important, formidable, and prosperous movement. How much the settlements are Israel’s defensive wall in every sense of the word,” Herzog declared.

Source:
President Herzog: ‘Settlements are Israel’s defensive wall’, by Israel National News, May 6, 2025

A ballistic missile fired from Yemen struck near Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport on Sunday morning, lightly to moderately wounding six people, and disrupting takeoffs and arrivals.

The attack triggered air-raid sirens across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Shfela/Judaean Foothills. Several attempts were made to intercept the missile, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The U.S.-made THAAD system attempted to intercept the missile but failed, as did Israel’s Arrow system, Channel 14 military correspondent Hillel Bitton Rosen reported. Authorities are investigating whether the blast near Terminal 3 was caused by a direct hit, missile fragments or interceptor debris. Police bomb squads and security forces remain on scene.

Magen David Adom updated its casualty figures on Sunday afternoon, reporting that six people were treated and transported to hospitals: a man in his 50s in light to moderate condition with limb injuries; two women, ages 54 and 38, in light condition due to blast-related trauma; a 64-year-old man lightly wounded by flying debris; and two women, aged 22 and 34, who were hurt while running for shelter.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that “there will be blows” in response to the attack. “We are acting against them,” Netanyahu said of previous IDF military operations against the Houthis in Yemen. “We have acted in the past, and we will act in the future. I cannot detail everything. The U.S., in coordination with us, is also acting against them. It’s not a one-and-done, but there will be blows,” vowed the Israeli premier.

Source:
Houthi missile hits Ben-Gurion Airport, wounding six, disrupting flights, by Joshua Marks/JNS, May 4, 2025

After a seven-hour discussion, the Security Cabinet early Monday morning unanimously approved the plans to expand combat operations in Gaza.

The discussion focused on new operational plans aimed at increasing pressure on Hamas, including a large-scale ground maneuver and entry into areas of the Gaza Strip, where IDF forces are expected to remain for an extended period.

Additionally, a principled framework for the distribution of future humanitarian aid to Gaza was approved, despite opposition from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. According to the approved framework, aid will be transferred in the future through an international fund that will oversee preventing its transfer to Hamas.

An Israeli official said after the discussion, “As long as Hamas does not release our hostages, we will significantly deepen our military operations.” He added, “This is what will happen unless Hamas agrees at the last moment to a deal and releases the hostages.”

Source:
Cabinet unanimously approves expansion of military operations in Gaza, by Israel National News, May 5, 2025

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir on Thursday spoke at Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s ceremony honoring outstanding soldiers. He discussed the ongoing fighting against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

Addressing IDF readiness to strike a blow to Hamas, Zamir said, “If necessary, we will do so soon, with determination and confidence in the righteousness of our path.”

Concluding his speech, Zamir said, “Our sovereignty and independence were not given to us as a gift. They were bought with blood and struggle, and they require us to defend them at all costs. The Hamas terrorists still hold fifty-nine of our brothers and sisters. But they too know, their safety is not forever! The IDF is ready and prepared to strike them a decisive blow. We will use all the strength at our disposal, increase the pace of operations, and intensify their power. If necessary, we will do so soon, with determination and confidence in the righteousness of our path.”

Source:
Chief of Staff warns: ‘IDF ready and prepared to deal Hamas a decisive blow’, by Israel National News, May 1, 2025

A large wildfire in the Jerusalem Hills fanned by strong winds and dry conditions forced authorities to cancel for the first time Israel’s traditional Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony. Several communities were evacuated, and firefighting crews were deployed to battle the blaze.

“Unfortunately, as the hours pass, the weather forecast for Mount Herzl during the hours of the ceremony does not allow for the ceremony to take place,” said Minister of Transport, National Infrastructure and Road Safety Miri Regev, who is in charge of organizing the ceremony. Instead the dress rehearsal that was recorded in advance on Monday was broadcast.

This latest crisis comes just a week after major fires that lasted more than 21 hours and burned more than 10,000 dunams (10 sq. km) of forest land in the Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem Hills areas, including Eshtaol, Beit Meir, Mesilat Zion, and Shaar Hagai.

Despite the intensity of both fires, authorities stressed that there is no indication of arson or negligence. On the other hand, Arabic social media posts are calling to ‘Burn the occupation’s forests and settlements’. Police are investigating the source of the posts.

If this is arson, it must be investigated and the source eliminated!

Source:
Wildfire Forces First-Ever Cancellation of Israel’s Independence Day Torch-Lighting Ceremony, by Pesach Benson/TPS-IL, April 30, 2025

The IDF is preparing for a significant step up in the ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, Kan News reported Tuesday.

The decision by the defense establishment and the political leadership was made in light of the lack of progress in negotiations for the hostages’ release.

According to the report, thousands of reservists have already been alerted that they will soon be recruited. Most belong to several infantry and armor brigades that will begin operational operations soon. This is not an emergency call-up.

Source:
Thousands of reservists alerted: IDF preparing to step up war in Gaza, by Israel National News, April 29, 2025

A senior diplomatic source has rejected proposals for a long-term ceasefire with Hamas, saying that Israel is holding negotiations for a hostage release deal but is close to losing patience.

“Ideas are flowing from some of the Arab countries, such as a cessation of the war for five years,” the source said. “There is no way that we will agree to a truce with Hamas that will only allow it to re-arm, recover, and continue its war with even more power.”

The source continued, “The reason that we did not begin fighting powerfully at the conclusion of the ceasefire, and only did so gradually is because we wanted to give negotiations for the hostages’ release a chance. We want to do our utmost to bring the hostages home and that is what influences our plans of action. We are still trying to do our utmost to release the hostages through a deal, but our patience is not infinite.”

Securing the release of the hostages is a priority as is Israel adhering to the goals of the war and this decision is certainly a hard pill to swallow but one that Am Yisrael must come to terms with.

Source:
Israel refuses proposal for five-year ceasefire, by Nitsan Keidar/Israel National News, April 28, 2025

At the inaugural JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Sunday, politicians, intellectuals and activists agreed that applying Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria is the only viable path to securing Jewish rights and safety in the Land of Israel.

The panelists said the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, signaled the dangers of allowing a Palestinian state to be established in Israel’s biblical heartland. Such a development, they warned, would expose Jewish communities to even greater threats.

Knesset Member Ohad Tal argued that by refraining from imposing sovereignty, Israel was inviting further violence. “Palestinians don’t engage in terrorism because they lack hope, but because they believe they can drive the Jews into the sea,” Tal said. “Applying sovereignty deprives them of that hope and is the only relevant solution.”

Longtime activist Nadia Matar, co-chair of the Sovereignty Movement, echoed the sentiment. “October 7 was a watershed moment,” she said. “The massacre and the support it received from Arabs in Gaza, Judea and Samaria proved we cannot live under illusions. Granting citizenship or residency to populations that glorify terror would be national suicide.”

The time to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria is NOW!

Source:
Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria ‘only solution,’ says JNS panel, by David Isaac/JNS, April 28, 2025

The chief editor of Palestinian Exploration Quarterly (PEQ), a leading academic journal in the field of archaeology, confirmed to The Press Service of Israel that it effectively blacklists research from Judea and Samaria. Israeli experts told TPS-IL that conditions set by the magazine for publishing research are impossible to meet.

PEQ can publish articles on the archaeology of Judea and Samaria, which the journal refers to as the “West Bank” or “the Occupied Palestinian Territories”, when the authors “have cooperated with the relevant Palestinian authorities to do so.”

However, Israeli archaeologists told TPS-IL that this condition is impossible to meet.

“There is no cooperation with the Palestinian Authority in the field of archaeology in Judea and Samaria, but not because the Israelis don’t want it, ” said Bar-Ilan University archaeologist Dvir Raviv.

TPS-IL reported that Israeli researchers find themselves effectively blacklisted by the international academic community, unable to publish findings from some of history’s most significant sites. The politics-driven policies of the academic archaeological world result in the erasing of biblical history, while the Palestinian Authority’s deliberate efforts to wipe out evidence of the Jewish connection to the land imperils sites of tremendous historical value, archaeologists said.

This is further disturbing evidence of how the Palestinians create and support their own distorted narrative for their sole goal to delegitimize Israel.

Source:
Leading Archaeological Journal Confirms Blacklisting Research From Judea and Samaria, by Anna Epshtein/TPS-IL, April 27, 2025